Human papillomavirus test

Many people who have never been exposed to the human papillomavirus are strongly advised to perform an appropriate analysis to detect the disease, if possible. If symptoms of the pathology have begun to appear, performing such an analysis is a mandatory measure. This type of viral disease can occur in men and women as a result of transmission from another person in the following ways:

• Unprotected sex (transmission by kissing is also possible - for wounds in the mouth and lips).
• During childbirth - from mother to baby.
• The virus can also enter the body of an unsuspecting person in the home area in places where there are many people: in public toilets, swimming pools, baths. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that you do not use other items of hygiene.

This disease is not genetically transmitted through DNA. Therefore, the main risks of infection are non-compliance with basic hygiene rules, unprotected sexual contact, ill-considered sexual contact, and a weak immune system. The risk of infection increases to some extent if a person has bad habits.

Important!If there is no carrier, the pathogen of HPV in nature cannot survive for a long time (less than 1 day), but it is usually enough to infect a person.

If you want to have a blood test for HPV, you should first contact the clinic because one of the highly trained doctors can issue the appropriate referral.

There are more than 100 types of HPV, and more than half of them do not pose a threat to humans, but some types are considered to be oncogenic and can cause cancer if they develop longer.

Papillomavirus is incredibly often sexually transmitted from person to person. Moreover, in the case of unprotected contact, the probability of transmission of a given virus is extremely high (compared to other STDs). In recent years, as doctors note, the number of cases has been growing exponentially year after year.

This disease is especially dangerous for the weak half of humanity because it often causes cervical cancer as well as other cancers in women. The older a woman is, the greater the risk of developing cancer. In men, the papillomavirus that develops in the urogenital system often leads to erectile problems, irreversible infertility, and cancers of the urogenital system. Therefore, a preventive investigation is the right and reasonable decision.

What analysis should be provided for human papillomavirus?

A highly trained professional can determine what type of analysis to pass and what actions to perform to do so. You can get professional advice on this issue from a number of doctors: dermatologists, urologists, gynecologists.

There are now a number of popular and effective methods that not only allow the presence of a viral disease to be identified in a person, but also immediately assign it to a certain type - safe or dangerous.

Important!You cannot determine for yourself which test you need to take to find HPV on your own - you only need to do it by a doctor. He indicates the name of the analysis.

The following methods are highlighted:

1. Colposcopy. A colposcope is used for a detailed examination of the cervix. During the procedure, the doctor can examine the mucous membranes of the organ, get a good quality image of all the sights, and even find miniature papillomas and warts (if any).
2. Cytology. Cytology is a common method for detecting various infectious diseases by smear under a microscope. As a result of the test, you can get the results of different classes: the first and second classes indicate that a person has no problem with this virus; the third class is the reason for clarification examinations (usually histological examination is required); the fourth and fifth classes indicate the presence of pathological cells. HPV infectious disease using cytology is diagnosed when specially modified cells are found in a human smear.
3. Histology, study of biopaths. To test the sample with this technology, the practitioner removes a small portion of his tissue from the person (it is difficult to tell how it is taken because it is different in each case). The tests are performed under a microscope - they also look for modified cells that are affected by a viral infection.
4. Search for antibodies to HPV. One of the most modern and useful forms of research. This is due to the fact that the method involves searching the human blood for antibodies to an infectious disease (in part, this is a diagnosis). Antibodies appear in the human body much earlier than when the virus begins to act vigorously. The method does not allow the identification of the type of HPV pathology with high accuracy, nor does it indicate the concentration. Human blood, not tissue, is tested in vitro.
5. Digene testing. Modern innovative method for the detection of papillomavirus. With this technology, you can learn all the characteristics of the disease. To obtain the material needed for the research, a sample is taken from the mucous membranes of the urethra (men) and vagina (women). These types of tests are often prescribed in combination with cytology to obtain the most accurate data on existing pathology.
6. PCR. The method is most sought after in cases where examination of the pathology of the papillomavirus is required in the case of suspected oncology. According to this technology, a person gives blood, urine, a smear from the mucous membrane (as indicated by the doctor). The method is based on the detection of HPV DNA, so the results for the presence or absence of the disease in a person are incredibly accurate. This method makes it difficult to study the material, so there is a high probability that false results will be obtained if the work is performed by an inexperienced professional or if the technology is violated.

Important!Regardless of the type of test and the method chosen, the test will be simple and painless for all ages.

In cases where material is taken from the urethra or vagina during the test, you need to be prepared in some way: stop taking antiviral or antibacterial drugs a few days before. You should leave all hygiene procedures a few hours before taking the biomaterial and not go to the toilet.

If blood is used to detect the virus, the test should be performed on an empty stomach. If you are very thirsty, you can drink some clean water without sugar and gas. In order not to get false results, you should give up alcoholic beverages and fatty foods a few days before the test.

Important!It is also recommended to temporarily abstain from sexual intercourse for two to three days before any type of biomaterial is sampled.

Tests for the detection of papillomavirus present no difficulty for either patients or physicians: they can be transmitted quickly and easily, and the results obtained are likely to indicate the presence or absence of pathology. However, it is extremely important to diagnose the presence of the virus as soon as possible, as the sooner treatment is started, the lower the risk of an oncological form of this pathology.

You can perform this type of analysis at any private laboratory or request a referral from a public clinic at the place of registration. Interpretation of the results obtained should only be performed by a qualified professional. Don’t take over the results from the analyzes and study them online - nothing good will come of it - you won’t be able to diagnose yourself correctly.